Clutch.



Patented Mar. 6, |900.

fno. 644,805...

.1. A. Mcm-:5, CLUTCH.

(Application led Sept. 7, 1899.)

(No Model.)

NiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. MCGEE, OF BIG SPRING, INDIANA.

CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,805, dated March 6,1900.

Application filed September 7, 1899. Serial No. 729,761. (No inodelchanges the direction of its motion, and to improvements in couplings orclutches.

The object of the invention is to provide a ring or sleeve with internalnotches to be engaged by a series of pawls of simple, durable, andefficient construction, such as will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

I accomplish the object of the invention by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompany-.t

ingdrawings, in Which-A Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partiallyin vertical section, of my invention,

` illustrating its essential features in a general Way as' a means f ortransmitting motion from foot-levers, but without showing itsapplication to any particular kind of a machine. Fig. -2 is a plan viewof same; Fig. 3, a detail show# ing the construction of the pawls andthe disk for carrying them; Fig. 4, a side elevation of one of the pawlsand its spring, and Fig. 5 a transverse section of the pawl.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

A is the base or platform on which the operative parts are mount-ed, A'a standard supporting the horizontal shaft B, and O C are a pair ofdisks mounted on the shaft B to revolve with said shaft. Surroundingeach disk C is a ring or sleeve, and mounted on the shaft B, outside ofeach disk C C, are the hubs or drums D D, which. have a loose Fit onsaid shaft to enable the latter to rotate therein.

E represents the rings or sleeves surrounding the disks, and each ringis attached to its adjacent hub D by the plate F, whereby the rotationof the hub or drum will rotate the ring around the disk which itencircles.

The face of the disk C is provided with a series of half-roundtransverse grooves, into which the half-round pawls I-I are seated.

Passing into the disk, preferably from a point midway of the ends of thegrooves and at their bottoms, are the sockets I, in which the springs c'are seated, with one end bearing against the pawl in a manner, as shown,to cause the edge of thepawlopposite that of contact with the spring toproject beyond the periphery of the disk. To accommodate thespring, thepawl H will beslotted, as shown at h, and the end of the spring willrest in this slot.

The inner face` of the ring E will be provided With a series of detentsor notches j to engage the pawls in a manner to cause the disk t0 berotated When the ring is'turned in an opposite direction to the pressureofv the springs against the pawls. When the ring moves back inthe otherdirection, the pawls are pressed into their seats out of the way. Thedistances between the pawls and between the notches are different, and aseries is used in each 'casein order that at any position of the ringand disk someof the pawls will be in engagement with a notch to preventmotion.

It will be noted `that the spring-pressed edge of each pawl is rabbeted,as shown at 7U'. This is to make room for the ledge K on the disk, thepurpose of which is to keep the pawl from protruding from its seat inthat direction, as it might do in case its spring should Vbecome brokenor the pawl itself should be Should which would require some specialadaptation the levers into position to be pressed down IOO by the feet,a cable n, passing around the idler-pulley N and having the ends of saidcable attached to the opposite drums, may be used. The cable will Windonto one drum and off of the other, and under proper tension willalternately raise the depressed levers.

To adapt the invention to such constructions as a bicycle, the hub ofthe bicycle-wheel Would have the ratchet-notches, and as the wheel mustrevolve in one direction the disk carrying the pawls would be the partto which the driving-drum was fastened and would have motion of rotationin alternate opposite directions.

The relative diameters of the disk and the drum may vary to snit theconditions of use as to multiplication of power or speed, and only onedisk and ring, or any number greater than one, may be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. The combination with a shaft of a` disk mounted thereon, said diskhaving transverse half-round seats in its periphery with deeperindentations or sockets intermediate the ends of the seats, half-roundpawls in said seats, springs in said sockets to press the pawls and arevoluble ring or sleeve closely surrounding the periphery of said diskhaving notches to be engaged by the pawls, substantially as describedand shown.

2. The combination with a shaft of a disk mounted thereon to revolvetherewith, said disk having transverse half-round seats in itslperiphery with deeper indentations or socktions or sockets intermediatethe ends of the seats, half-round pawls seated in the grooves andsprings in the sockets to press the pawls 5o out on the nnfianged sideof the groove into engagement with the notches of the ring,substantially as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis,Indiana, this 17thy day of August, A. D. 1899.

JOSEPH A. MCGEE. L. s]

Witnesses:

JOSEPH A. MINTURN, CHAs. A. FAILLES.

